News and information

DEA might reclassify marijuana: report

The DEA might be taking a second look on the classification of marijuana.

The Drug Enforcement Administration may drop marijuana from its list of most dangerous drugs.

The DEA said it will decide in the first half of 2016 whether it would reclassify cannabis, which is currently listed under Schedule 1 — the same group as heroin, according to a New York Daily News report.

Schedule 1 refers to drugs that have no medical purpose and have potentially severe pyschological or physical dependence, according to the report.

More than half of Americans said in a recent Gallup poll that they want pot to be legal, and many states have legalized, but federal law still considers the drug illegal. This means the DEA’s decision could have huge ramifications for marijuana nationwide.

The proposed moved would be to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II, which would place it in the same category as cocaine, allowing researchers to at least learn about its potential medical benefits.

The American Medical Association has indicated it would review its Schedule I status “with the goal of facilitating the conduct of clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based medicines,” according to the report.

The move comes after a group of democratic senators asked federal bodies to create a research strategy due to more medical marijuana users in the country. So far, a total of 23 states have legalized some form of medical marijuana, and four states and the District of Columbia have allowed it recreationally. Still, the DEA remains officially opposed to marijuana.